Date of Award

4-2022

Document Type

Thesis - SCU Access Only

Publisher

Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2022.

Degree Name

Master of Theology (Th.M)

Director

Gina Hens-Piazza

Abstract

Although hospital chaplaincy is rooted in religious traditions and histories, relying too strictly on traditional religious conventions can lead to lazy spiritual care that ignores the lived reality of patients. We must be attuned to the systemic and social issues that influence a patient’s experience, and recognize that spiritual care does not develop in an isolated vacuum. Through case studies, I focus on examining the various social issues impacting the patient, and then more closely examine exactly what happens in the chaplaincy encounter that constitutes spiritual care. I aim to expand the limits of what is seen as spiritual care to include such seeming dichotomies as spiritual versus mundane, eternal versus temporary, life versus death.

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